AFC Notes: Patrick Mahomes, Rashee Rice, Courtland Sutton, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

Broncos WR Courtland Sutton remains absent from voluntary workouts but HC Sean Payton isn’t worried and believes the situation will eventually be resolved.

“There isn’t any concern. Here’s why,’’ Payton said, via Mike Klis of KUSA. “Courtland, he’s a tremendous worker. You guys know him. A tremendous makeup, leader of our team. That will sort itself out.”

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes said the team is standing behind WR Rashee Rice and is helping him learn from his mistakes following legal troubles this offseason, including an altercation and eight felony charges related to a high-speed car crash. 

“It’s not just me. [We’re all] just trying to do whatever we can to teach him how to learn from his mistakes,” Mahomes said, via the team’s YouTube. “Obviously, that was a big mistake. You get to learn from it and make sure it doesn’t happen again and try to do whatever you can to be the best person you can be in society, not only for yourself but for the people around you. I think he is doing that.”

Mahomes reiterated they are helping Rice get on “the right path.”

“Right now, we’re just going to keep trying to do whatever we can to get him on the right path, so that he can be a great football player, obviously, but we want to be a great person, too.”

Mahomes believes it’s important for players to stay responsible outside of the team facilities. 

“It’s just about being as smart as we can when we’re not in the building,” Mahomes said. “I think guys understand we have to step up as a team and an organization in that way. But we have to go out and prove that for other people to believe that as well.”

Raiders

Raiders OC Luke Getsy said QB Aidan O’Connell has made a positive impression on him thus far in the offseason and credited his work ethic.

“To get thrown in the way he got thrown into, and to see the adversity — I think it was like a zero that they didn’t score [against Minnesota] and they score all those points [against the Chargers], that’s a really cool reflection of the type of kid that he is and the approach that he brings,” Getsy said, via PFT. “There’s one thing I would definitely pat him on the back for at this point, it’s just the willingness to be taught and willingness to be vulnerable in this opportunity to get better. That’s really cool to see a guy who’s had success now really excited to learn some new stuff.”